Find out how popular the last name Tomlin is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Tomlin.

Tomlin, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Tomlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tomlin in America

Tomlin is the 3036th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tomlin surname appeared 11,797 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Tomlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tomlin to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Tomlin

The surname Tomlin is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "tun," meaning an enclosure or a town, and the word "lin," meaning a pool or a stream. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a town by a pool or stream.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Tunelyn." This record suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name was found primarily in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where it was often associated with various place names that incorporated the elements "tun" and "lin." For example, the village of Tumbling, in Lincolnshire, is believed to have derived its name from the Tomlin family who resided there.

One notable figure bearing the Tomlin surname was John Tomlin (c. 1400-1472), a prominent English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1450 until his death. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses, initially supporting the Lancastrian cause before eventually switching allegiance to the Yorkists.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Tomlin (1588-1675), an English clergyman and writer who authored several theological works, including "The Seed of the Woman Bruising the Serpent's Head" (1649), which was a critique of the teachings of the Quakers.

In the 18th century, the Tomlin name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, where it was associated with several notable families. One such individual was William Tomlin (1717-1788), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and churches in the region.

The 19th century saw the Tomlin name spread more widely across England, with several individuals achieving prominence in various fields. One such figure was Richard Tomlin (1815-1891), a renowned architect who designed numerous churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Another notable Tomlin was Elizabeth Tomlin (1831-1902), a pioneering educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and the establishment of educational opportunities for girls and women. She founded several schools and wrote extensively on the subject of women's education.

Throughout its history, the Tomlin surname has retained its association with England, with relatively few instances of its use in other parts of the world. While it has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Tomlyn, Tomlins, and Tomlinson, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tomlin

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Tomlin.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Tomlin was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Tomlin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Tomlin was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tomlin, please contact us.

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